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09-06-2013, 02:16 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Dec 2011
Posts: 755
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Two things I learned this week
I am sure that these two things are probably old hat to many of the more experienced growers, but I thought maybe I would share them for the sake of beginners to the orchid hobby...
...1) It is OK to throw out an orchid. I know this because I did this yesterday for the first time with an orchid that was still alive. It was a phal that somebody gave me as one of the first orchids I had. You know: Someone gave me this for my birthday, I enjoyed the blooms, you enjoy a challenge, right? Here take this orchid and see what you can do.
Now, I have learned a lot from this particular orchid. It was the first one I repotted myself. In MiracleGro *gasp*. I held on to that thing as it grew lots of roots, but not too many leaves, got case after case of mealybugs, finally bloomed earlier this year (just 5 blooms) and those blooms had some kind of disease as well. The thing was a lesson in persistence, let me tell you.
Well, yesterday I was moving plants inside because it is getting too cold at night, and here is this pesky thing with its about two inch new leaf growing in the center, with a slug on it (of course!), and when I went to get the slug off the leaf broke off in my fingers. And I just could not bring myself to expose the rest of my other beautiful orchids to that recalcitrant phal. So I threw it out. I know...give it away, you say, someone will love it. No! I just couldn't do that to someone. It's gone and I am relieved...thankful for what I learned...but relieved!
#2) Misting orchids really helps. Again...I know that this is basic, but I had resisted for a while for a couple of reasons. I had a bad experience when I first started a couple of years ago because I did not do it properly and I rotted a bunch of crowns and killed things. Also, I am kind of messy and I was having a hard time keeping the misting from making a wreck of my windowsills. (I do not have a greenhouse).
Anyhow, I got a miltonia regnellii in a 2 inch pot and it just was not thriving despite my best efforts. So I decided that I would stick it in my sink first thing in the AM and give it a light mist with a new mister that I bought that sprays nice and fine. Well, within days it started new growth which as I write is now about an inch long and the rest of the plant is a much better color, too. So now I have a few seedlings like the miltonia that get their morning mist before anyone has to use the kitchen sink and I am amazed at the overall improvement in color and health I am seeing.
Did any other beginners learn something this week?
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Mistking
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Looking for a misting system? Look no further. Automated misting systems from MistKing are used by multitude of plant enthusiasts and are perfect for Orchids. Systems feature run dry pumps, ZipDrip valve, adjustable black nozzles, per second control! Automatically mist one growing shelf or a greenhouse full of Orchids. See MistKing testimonials |
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Post Thanks / Like - 2 Likes
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09-06-2013, 02:37 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Zone: 5b
Location: Spokane, WA
Posts: 2,436
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09-06-2013, 02:57 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Colorado
Age: 44
Posts: 2,595
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09-06-2013, 04:08 PM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: NYC
Posts: 264
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Last edited by DweamGoiL; 09-06-2013 at 04:10 PM..
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09-07-2013, 02:17 AM
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Member
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Join Date: Aug 2013
Zone: 4b
Location: Toronto, Canada
Posts: 54
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I have been through what you have. I threw out 2 phals, after trying my best to nurse them back a few years ago. I had to tell myself that it's OK and I guess it was. In fact i just threw out 3 others plants in a span of 2 days this week. I just couldn't handle them anymore, all hope was lost (a gerbera daisy, a big leaf philodendron and the 3rd, a white curcuma...which is a ginger plant. As much as i really liked them, never again).
I also found out misting really helps. So does sunlight. Funny how my orchids (all phals) just started growing like craaazzzyy after I put them on the Southern windowsill. They were just sitting dormant on my countertop (under tons of potlights in a VERY bright room) for 6 months. It was really after starting misting and putting them there that they started growing roots and leaves. It's been 2/3 months and they're still growing new roots and leaves
---------- Post added at 02:17 AM ---------- Previous post was at 02:10 AM ----------
Just mist during the day which will give the water time to evaporate before the sun goes down. Hell I even mist them at night man..I just make sure to wipe the water off the crown and leaves and wick the nook and crannies with paper towel. No problem for me! I even got them mounted recently so I have to give them good watering everyday (they dry out quickly in my home because it's very warm in here). Sometimes I give them such good misting that it doubles as a watering. They're all thriving, as mentioned in the above post. You just HAVE TO make sure noooo water is sitting on your leaves, crown and specially in the nook & crannies. And don't get ANY water on your buds or blooms. It will kill them.
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Mistking
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Looking for a misting system? Look no further. Automated misting systems from MistKing are used by multitude of plant enthusiasts and are perfect for Orchids. Systems feature run dry pumps, ZipDrip valve, adjustable black nozzles, per second control! Automatically mist one growing shelf or a greenhouse full of Orchids. See MistKing testimonials |
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Last edited by Priya_H; 09-07-2013 at 02:21 AM..
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09-07-2013, 05:59 AM
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Join Date: Jul 2008
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Location: West Midlands, UK
Age: 49
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Post Thanks / Like - 3 Likes
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09-07-2013, 06:36 AM
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Senior Member
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Join Date: Apr 2013
Zone: 5a
Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana
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I learned this about orchids from, I think RJ Squirrel? Or maybe it was James Mikelso (?)...one of them posted a comment about "cold, wet roots and stagnant air are the quickest ways to kill a plant" I keep this observation in mind when I water my orchids. I have lessened my mortality rate to almost nil.
The second thing I learned from this forum is "water weakly weekly".
Actually I've learned a lot more from this forum, these are the only two that come to mind. If I was giving a newbie advice, I would encourage joining this forum as a sure way to learn about orchids.
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